“Yes, I know—that was after Blazius had spoken to her—and he was so angry, when he heard you were going to the country, after all! He said—he said——”
“What?” asked Hamilton.
“That with such opportunities, he should not be at all surprised if you and Hildegarde went to—the—devil! He sometimes does use such very improper words!”
Hamilton could not help smiling.
“You think I am joking,” she continued, “but I assure you, he said such dreadful things, that I cannot repeat them—and I was so glad, when I went to the Iron Works, to perceive that Hildegarde did not like you—in that way——”
“In what way?” asked Hamilton, irresistibly impelled to talk to her as he had in former times. She blushed so deeply, however, and became so painfully confused, that he added gravely, “You mean that you saw she only liked me as an acquaintance, or friend, and I believe you are right.”
“Yes, that is exactly what I meant,” said Crescenz, apparently greatly relieved, “for that last day, when you seemed to like Lina Berger more than you had ever done either of us, she did not in the least mind it—quite laughed at the idea!”
“Did she?” said Hamilton, with a look of annoyance, which Crescenz alone could have failed to observe.
“Hildegarde never will tell me anything!” she continued, “but I have made a discovery all the same!”
“Have you?” cried Hamilton, with a look of interest, which her observations were seldom calculated to produce. “What is it?”